A man counts Sri Lankan rupees in a note counting machine at a money exchange counter in Colombo, Sri Lanka September 7, 2018. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte/Files COLOMBO (Reuters) - The Sri Lankan rupee fell to a record low against the dollar on Wednesday, a day after Moody’s downgraded the country’s credit rating, as a political crisis worsens a rout in the currency. The rupee hit a record low of 178.00 against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, compared with Monday’s close at 177.30/50. The previous record low was 177.35 hit on Monday. Sri Lanka’s markets were close for a holiday on Tuesday. The rupee has fallen 15.9 percent so far this year, Refinitiv Eikon data showed. Moody’s downgraded Sri Lanka on Tuesday for the first time since it started rating the country in 2010, blaming the political crisis for aggravating already problematic finances. The downgrade coincided with a decision by the International Monetary Fund to delay discussions on its loan … [Read more...] about Sri Lankan rupee hits record low of 178.00 against dollar
Sri lankan holidays
Ian Paisley readmitted to the DUP after failing to declare Sri Lankan holidays
Ian Paisley has been readmitted to the Democratic Unionist Party after he was suspended for failing to declare luxury holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government. The DUP launched an internal investigation into the MP for North Antrim after The Daily Telegraph revealed Mr Paisley had received hospitality for his family worth tens of thousands of pounds. Mr Paisley was suspended from parliament for 30 sitting days and narrowly avoided being ousted as an MP after a “recall petition” was sent around his constituency. He was suspended from the DUP in July while an internal investigation was carried out. A DUP spokesperson said Mr Paisley was readmitted to the party following his suspension. He is banned from holding office within the party for a year. An investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found in August that a year after the two luxury holidays, Mr Paisley lobbied then Prime Minister David Cameron not to support a UN probe into alleged Sri … [Read more...] about Ian Paisley readmitted to the DUP after failing to declare Sri Lankan holidays
Sri Lankan Culture and National Celebrations
The culture of Sri Lanka mixes modern elements with traditional aspects and is known for its regional diversity Sri Lanka Guardian: The Long Read by Anwar A Khan Sri Lankan History ( October 15, 2018, Dhaka, Sri Lanka Guardian ) Sri Lanka having a history as long as many ancient civilizations, positioning in the crossroad of the East and the West, and being a multicultural society, celebrates a wide variety of festivals, ceremonies and events. Every year on or about April 13 Sinhala and Tamil people celebrate Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival, Christians celebrate Easter and Christmas. EsalaPerahera is the grand festival of Esala held in Sri Lanka. It is very grand with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and richly decorated elephants. There are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandian dances and various other cultural dances. The elephants are usually adorned with lavish … [Read more...] about Sri Lankan Culture and National Celebrations
Ian Paisley avoids by-election by 400 votes after failing to declare Sri Lankan holidays
Ian Paisley has held on to his Westminster seat after Parliament's first ever recall petition fell just short of the threshold required to force a by-election. Mr Paisley, who had failed to declare luxury holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government, would have been ousted as an MP if 10 per cent of the electorate in his North Antrim constituency - 7,543 voters - signed the petition. In the event 7,099 people signed it (9.4 per cent). The petition was launched as a result of an investigation by The Telegraph, which revealed Mr Paisley had received hospitality for his family worth tens of thousands of pounds. A parliamentary watchdog found in August that a year after the luxury holidays, Mr... Register or log in to view this and other Politics articles. It's free and easy to do. Join regular debates with our journalists by commenting on articles Sign up to exclusive newsletters that give you the inside track on Westminster and Brexit Register Log in … [Read more...] about Ian Paisley avoids by-election by 400 votes after failing to declare Sri Lankan holidays
Ian Paisley could become first MP recalled from Parliament after failing to declare luxury Sri Lanka holidays
Ian Paisley could become the first MP recalled from Parliament under new legislation, after failing to declare luxury holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government. Today a “recall petition” has opened in the DUP MP’s constituency, the first of its kind. If enough constituents sign it, Mr Paisley will lose his seat and trigger a by-election. The petition was launched as a result of an investigation by the Daily Telegraph which revealed Mr Paisley had received hospitality for his family worth tens of thousands of pounds. He later lobbied the government on behalf of Sri Lanka, while not disclosing the trips. Last month, MPs voted to suspend Mr Paisley for a record 30 sitting days over his breach... Register or log in to view this and other Politics articles. It's free and easy to do. Join regular debates with our journalists by commenting on articles Sign up to exclusive newsletters that give you the inside track on Westminster and Brexit Register … [Read more...] about Ian Paisley could become first MP recalled from Parliament after failing to declare luxury Sri Lanka holidays